Oral Health Knowledge Level of Nursing Staff Working in Semi-Intensive Heart Failure Units

Figures & data

Figure 1 Percentages of nurses correctly answering each of the six questionnaires items. The red dotted line represents the attendance percentage of those who responded correctly.

Table 1 The Shortened Six-Item Version of the Adams’ Questionnaire Including the Correct Answers

	Questions	Right Answers
1	Is it necessary to check the mouth of each patient during his hospital admission visit ?	Yes
2	Which factors are necessary to check in order to certify the patient’s good oral status?	The patient’s chewing, swallowing and speaking functions should be well performed.
3	Which factors are necessary should be evaluated during the patient’s oral check ?	Presence of all natural teeth Teeth health status Gingival health status Presence oral mucosal lesions Presence, integrity and hygienic status of partial or complete denture Presence of oral pain and/or burning
4	How many times a day should patient’s oral health care be performed by nursing personnel ?	Twice daily
5	Which oral hygiene tools should be used to clean the patient’s teeth and oral mucosa or their dental prostheses ?	Fluoride toothpaste Toothbrush Chlorhexidine mouthwash or gels Gauze soaked in the disinfectant solution for moisturizing the lips and washing dental prostheses
6	Which systemic drugs have potential oral health side-effects?	Psychiatric antidepressant and Diuretic antihypertensive drugs reducing the saliva secretion. Antibiotics and Cortisone facilitating opportunistic infection after long term usage

Notes: Adapted with permission from Adams R. Qualified nurses lack adequate knowledge related to oral health, resulting in inadequate oral care of patients on medical wards. J Adv Nurs. 1996;24(3):552–560. Copyright © John Wiley & Sons Ltd.¹⁸

Adams R. Qualified nurses lack adequate knowledge related to oral health resulting in inadequate oral care of patients on medical wards. J Adv Nurs. 1996;24(3):552–560. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2648.1996.22416.x

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